(a) The welfare of the people of the territory of Guam requires that all proceedings in criminal cases shall be set for trial and heard and determined at the earliest possible time, and it shall be the duty of all courts and judicial
COL020909 DISMISSAL; COMPROMISE
officers and of all prosecuting attorneys to expedite such proceedings to the greatest degree that is consistent with the ends of justice. (b) In accordance with the policy stated in Subsection (a), criminal cases shall be given precedence over, and set for trial and heard without regard to the pendency of, any civil matters or proceedings. No continuance of a trial shall be granted except upon affirmative proof in open court, upon reasonable notice, that the ends of justice require a continuance. No continuance shall be granted for any longer time than it is affirmatively proved the ends of justice require. Whenever any continuance is granted, the court shall enter in its minutes the facts proved which require the continuance. NOTE: Section 80.50 combines the substance of former §§ 681 and 1050. See also former Rule 50; § 1.11(a) (right to speedy trial). See generally B. Witkin, California Criminal Procedure Trial §§ 278-290 (1963, Supp. 1973), (procedure and grounds for continuance). The section is supplemented by the specific time limits provided by § 80.60.